Generally, a merchant uses a terminal to process a transaction. The terminal is connected, usually with wires, to a cash register and to an Internet connection. Some terminals process chip cards. For such terminals, a card is inserted into the terminal and the user enters a Personal Identification Number (PIN) on a keypad of the terminal. Other terminals process magnetic stripe cards. For such terminals, the card is swiped through a slot.
Mobile card readers are available for magnetic stripe cards. Some mobile card readers, e.g., mobile card readers installed in taxies, use cellular technology to communicate wirelessly with the credit card processor.
Conventional point of sale electronic credit card transactions are authorized and captured. In the authorization stage, a physical credit card with a magnetic stripe is swiped through a merchant's magnetic card reader, e.g., as part of a point of sale device. A payment request is sent electronically from the magnetic card reader to a credit card processor. The credit card processor routes the payment request to a card network, e.g., Visa or Mastercard, which in turn routes the payment request to the card issuer, e.g., a bank. Assuming the card issuer approves the transaction, the approval is then routed back to the merchant. In the capture stage, the approved transaction is again routed from the merchant to the credit card processor, the card network, and the card issuer. The payment request can include the cardholder's signature (if appropriate). The capture state can trigger the financial transaction between the card issuer and the merchant, and optionally create a receipt. There can also be other entities, e.g., the card acquirer, in the route of the transaction. Debit card transactions have a different routing, but also require swiping of the card.